Murphy says molestation charges 'horrific'

Published 5:30 am, Thursday, April 1, 2004

Former Houston Rockets star Calvin Murphy tearfully asserted his innocence Wednesday after hearing, for the first time, graphic details of the child-molestation charges he faces from five daughters.

"It was horrific to hear the charges presented," Murphy said after his brief court appearance, his lips quivering and tears rolling down his cheeks.

He is accused of fondling or performing oral sex on the girls from 1988 to 1991, when they ranged in age from 6 to 13, Harris County prosecutor Lance Long said during a hearing before state District Judge Michael McSpadden.

Most of the incidents are alleged to have occurred in Murphy's home while the girls were in bed, Long said, but one is alleged to have occurred in a car and another in a hotel room. Some of the girls were asleep when they were awakened by the assaults, the prosecutor said.

Murphy, 55, a local icon known for his Hall of Fame career, effusive personality and colorful zoot suits, took a leave of absence from his job as a Rockets TV commentator after the charges surfaced Monday.

"Obviously, I'm missing being the flamboyant commentator that I was," he said. "I hope that people have an open mind and don't rush to judgment."

McSpadden scheduled Murphy's next court appearance for April 27, but Long said later he doesn't expect any major developments then because a grand jury must first decide whether to indict Murphy. Long said he does not know when the grand jury will convene.

Murphy was composed and somber during the hearing as he stood beside his lawyer, Rusty Hardin. Several times he answered "Yes, sir" to McSpadden's questions about whether he understood the charges.

Murphy and Hardin have suggested the daughters may have fabricated the charges because of greed.

Hardin has said three of the daughters claim Murphy took about $60,000 in retirement money left by their mother after she died in a car accident.

"They certainly told Calvin that if he didn't give them that money, he would be sorry," Hardin said earlier this week.

On Wednesday, he declined to comment on the possibility of extortion.

"This case puts (Murphy) in the untenable position of having to be publicly critical of his own family," Hardin said. "He doesn't want to participate in bashing the children publicly."

But he hinted that some of Murphy's other children would do just that. He said those who support their father will come forward soon to denounce the accusers.

Murphy has 14 children. The woman who died in the traffic accident, the mother of three of the accusers, was his common-law wife, he said Wednesday.

The other two accusers have different mothers.

"My older children are angry, and my younger children obviously don't understand," Murphy said about how his remaining children are reacting.

Long dismissed the idea that money motivated the accusers.

"After some girls came forward, the other girls were found by the Texas Rangers," he said. "At no time did (the others) come forward on their own."

He would not say which of the accusers first contacted authorities or where the accusers live.

Long said he has asked prosecutors in other jurisdictions, including Fort Bend County, to look into additional accusations of child molestation. He would not elaborate.

Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey said, "My office has been working with Harris County prosecutors and investigators to determine whether or not there is information to pursue an investigation regarding Mr. Murphy in Fort Bend County."

Sugar Land police spokeswoman Pat Whitty said the department is not investigating Murphy, who lives in that city.

Murphy's two youngest children have been interviewed by Children's Protective Services, Long said. Murphy said he went along with a CPS suggestion that the youngest child, who was living with him, reside with her mother until the investigation is completed. The other child does not live with Murphy.

The former professional athlete is charged with three counts of indecency with a child and three counts of aggravated sexual assault. Long said he filed the charges before presenting them to a grand jury because the matter was considered urgent, since it involved allegations from five people.

If he is convicted, Murphy could receive five years to life in prison for the aggravated offenses and two to 20 years for the indecency violations. He also could be eligible for probation because he doesn't have a criminal history.

Murphy -- the Rockets' second-leading all-time scorer, who was inducted into the National Basketball Association's Hall of Fame in 1993 -- has participated in youth programs for many years and has never been accused of sexual abuse, Hardin said.

The attorney said even if a grand jury chooses not to indict Murphy, his reputation may forever be stained because of the nature of the charges.

"Calvin has helped children his whole life," Hardin said. "We fear he won't be able to participate in that any more. I just ask people to please give him a chance."